Picture mount or frame



July 27, 1937. F., H. KLIE PICTURE MOUNT OR FRAME Original Filed Jan. 11, 19.36

Patented July 27, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT QFHQE Application January 11, 1936, Serial No. 58,617 Renewed November 27, 1936 5 Claims.

The invention relates to picture and card frames and has special reference to a mounting or frame formed from a single sheet of cardboard, stiff paper, or any like material.

An important object of the invention is to provide a frame or mount of the character stated wherein a novel manner of cutting or slitting the paper or material surrounding the central opening in the frame will permit said portion of the material to be drawn out or projected from the :plane on which the card or picture to be held or exhibited in the frame is to lie, thus producing a pleasing effect of depth when the picture is exhibited while providing for closing or collapsing of the frame on the picture to facilitate packing and shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical and simple form of collapsible frame any number of which may be stacked as flat sheets for packaging and shipment and which may be expanded to give the effect of thickness in the material of the frame when the mount or frame is put to use.

Other advantages and objects will become evident from the following description, together with the accompanying drawing, where,

Figure 1 is a plan or face view of a frame constructed according to the invention, shown in its collapsed or fiat condition;

Figure 2 is a side or edge view showing the frame expanded;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2 showing the positions of the portions of material composing the 'frame when same is drawn out or expanded;

Figure 4 is a bottom view showing the frame expanded as in Fig. 2.

In the practice of the invention, a suitable sheet or square 9 of material, such as light cardboard, is employed. This square is here shown as formed with a central cut-out portion III, also shown as square, forming the picture opening. A backing sheet ll, suitably secured to the rear face of the frame, may be used to hold a picture in the opening, or the picture itself used as the backing, as is obvious. The material, or cardboard, immediately surrounding the picture opening is cut or slit diagonally at l2 at the four corners of the frame opening and the material is scored on lines l3 connecting the outer ends of the slits, thus producing four tags or flaps M which may be folded into the opening on the scored lines l3. Outwardly beyond a marginal portion or band I5, of suitable width and shape to give the proper frame effect and such coloring or design as is desired, the material on all four sides is cut or slit on parallel overlapping lines l6, l1, and H3. The intermediate slits H are substantially co-extensive with the adjacent side of the picture opening. The inner slits [6 connect at the corners of the marginal portion l5 and the outer slits l8 also connect at each corner. The material surrounding the marginal band. I5 is thus made expansible in the manner indicated by Figure 2. This expansion brings the marginal band l5 out or forward from the plane of the picture opening and the flaps may then be folded back against the picture to serve as props maintaining the expanded position of the frame and, incidentally, giving the effect of a mat around the picture. With the portion l5 out, the picture appears as set back in the frame and a pleasing effect of depth is produced. Nevertheless, the frame construction is such that it lies flat when in collapsed form and is capable of use in that form or at any desired step of expansion as governed by the extent of folding of the flap-s M.

The construction disclosed is obviously capable of modifications in connection with frame openings of various forms and the slit-lines may be made irregular, as set at I8 Fig. l, to produce artistic effects, if desired, all Without departure from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A blank for a picture mount or frame comprising a sheet of flexible material formed with a picture exhibiting opening surrounded by a marginal band, the material around said band being cut through to form laterally spaced, interrupted, parallel slits which overlap, said slitted material connecting the marginal band to the rest of the sheet thereby allowing the marginal band to be moved away from the plane of the sheet.

2. A picture mount or frame comprising a sheet of flexible material formed with a picture exhibiting opening surrounded by a marginal band, the material around said band being cut through to form laterally spaced, interrupted, parallel slits which overlap, said slitted material connecting the marginal band to the rest of the sheet thereby allowing the marginal band to be moved away from the plane of the sheet, and

supporting means on the marginal band for reing cut through to form laterally spaced, overlapping, parallel slits freeing said marginal band for limited movement away from the backing sheet, and means for supporting the band in position away from the backing sheet.

4. A picture mount or frame of cardboard or the like, comprising a backing sheet, a framing sheet mounted thereonhaving a central picture opening surrounded by a marginal band carrying tags foldable inwardly towards the backing sheet, portions of the framing sheet surrounding said band being cut through to form parallel, interrupted, slits which overlap, thereby freeing the marginal band for limited movement away from the backing sheet as the tags are folded inwardly to support the band.

5. A picture mount or frame of cardboard or the like, comprising a backing sheet, a framing sheet mounted thereon having a rectangular central picture opening surrounded by a marginal band, the portions of said band immediately surrounding the picture opening being cut diagonally at each corner and scored on all four sides of the opening on lines uniting said cuts, thereby forming inwardly foldabl-e tags, portions of the framing sheet surrounding the marginal band being cut through to form spaced, interrupted, slits which overlap and certain of which join at the corners, thereby freeing the marginal band for limited movement away from, the backing sheet as 'the four tags are folded inwardly to support the band.

FRANK I-I. KLIE; 

